Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for the contamination-free filling of a tank from a canister, for example for decanting liquid pesticides from small containers (canisters, bottles or the like) into other, larger containers, such as barrels or tanks.
Description of Related Art
Document WO 97/15780 relates to a gas fueling device for gas-operated vehicles. As viewed in the longitudinal direction, the gas fueling device is divided into a plurality of chamber-like passages (compartments). The compartments which follow one another together form the main channel of the device. The first compartment of the fueling device which is connected to the gas supply tank has, in addition to the central main channel which guides the gas flow, a laterally arranged additional channel with a smaller cross section. That end section of the gas fueling device which lies opposite the first compartment is connected to the vehicle tank. The residual quantities of gas which have not been transferred into the vehicle tank after termination of the fueling operation and first of all collect in the gas fueling device are discharged from the device again through the additional channel with a smaller cross section and are returned to a recycling tank. The additional channel which is disclosed in WO 97/15780 extends merely over the first compartment of the device. Flushing of the entire device with the utilization of the additional channel by the introduction of water as cleaning liquid into the additional channel is not possible and, in a manner which corresponds to the purpose of the fueling device, is also not provided. The flushing of the tank which is connected to the second end section of the fueling device (that is to say, the flushing of the vehicle tank) is also not possible in the gas fueling device which is disclosed in WO 97/15780.
Document GB 1 288 764 A relates to a valve for a barrel for storing beverages, in particular beverages which contain carbon dioxide. The valve has a plurality of openings which extend in the radial direction and serve as ventilating openings. During filling of the barrel, the residual air which remains in the valve is displaced through the openings. The flushing of the valve for cleaning purposes and the flushing of the barrel with a cleaning liquid using the ventilating openings is not provided and would also not be possible in the device which is disclosed in GB 1 288 764 A.
Document GB 2 231 632 A discloses a hydraulic coupling with pressure equalization, which hydraulic coupling is suitable for use in deep sea drilling. The coupling sections which are to be connected have channels which are oriented in the radial direction and channels which are oriented in the longitudinal direction. The channels bring about the distribution of the hydraulic pressure which loads the valve constituent parts, and facilitate the establishing of a fluid connection between two hydraulic lines, while the coupling sections of the two lines are connected to one another.
Document GB 2 097 082 A discloses a valve for containers which are pressurized. Whereas the removal of the gas as a rule tends to take place slowly, the filling of the containers is supposed rather to proceed rapidly. For the purpose of gas removal, the valve contains additional elements which produce an additional passage (bypass) in addition to the main opening of the valve.
In the known abovementioned valve devices, in a manner which corresponds to their construction, the cleaning of the inner valve constituent parts in order to protect the user against contamination during partial removals is not provided. In particular, the separation of the contact faces which lie in the interior of the valve devices and in each case belong to two different valve constituent parts which are connected to one another is not possible in the known abovementioned devices for the purpose of flushing of the inner valve constituent parts after partial removal or after complete removal.
The concluding flushing of a tank (canister) which is connected to one of the known abovementioned valve devices would likewise not be capable of being carried out after complete removal of the tank contents on account of the construction of said valve devices.
In the devices which are already known for the contamination-free filling of a tank from a canister, particular emphasis is placed on the fact that the user can carry out the exact filling or metering, without coming into contact with the fluid to be transferred in the process. Transfer systems of this type are known, for example, from DE 20 2009 016 419 U1 and DE 696 33 403 T2. A further essential function consists in the fact that, after complete emptying, the canister can be flushed with a cleaning liquid, for example water.
Devices of this type usually consist of a tank adapter with a tank fastening flange for fastening to a tank, and a first coupling part, and a canister adapter with a canister fastening flange for fastening to a canister, and a second coupling part, the tank adapter and the canister adapter being connected releasably to one another via the first and second coupling part.
Furthermore, it is known from practice to additionally mount a separate flushing module, in order to clean the completely emptied canister with a cleaning liquid. In this way, the user and the environment are protected reliably against contact with the fluid to be transferred in the case of complete emptying of the canister. However, the situation in the case of partial removals remains a problem when the canister which is still filled with a residual amount is removed from the tank to be filled.